Halloween Skeleton Cupcakes

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a cupcake pan with 24 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour (200g), 1½ cups granulated sugar (295g), ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (80g), 1½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt until well combined, about 1 minute.
3. Add 2 large eggs (room temperature), ¾ cup buttermilk (room temperature), ¾ cup hot coffee, ¼ cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth.
4. Fill each cupcake liner about three-quarters full. You should have enough batter for 24 cupcakes.
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While the cupcakes cool, make the skeleton bones. Place 12 ounces (340g) white chocolate melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth (about 5 minutes total).
7. Using a fork or candy dipper, dip 72 tiny twist pretzels into the melted white chocolate, coating them completely. Let excess drip off, then place on parchment paper to set.
8. With a black food-grade edible marker, draw a skeleton face on the side or top of each of the 24 large marshmallows (147g total). Take one of the 24 small marshmallows (14g total) and thread it onto a skewer, leaving space for the large marshmallow on top. Insert the skewer about three-quarters of the way into the large marshmallow, without poking through.
9. Prepare the chocolate cream cheese frosting according to your recipe (you'll need about 4 cups). Any chocolate frosting works.
10. Once cupcakes are cool and white chocolate has set, assemble: Pipe chocolate frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle about ⅓ cup (47g) chocolate cookie crumbs over the frosting to resemble dirt. Stack three chocolate-coated pretzels together and thread the skewer through an opening to form ribs. Place one skeleton skewer on each cupcake.